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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

What gun would Jesus choose?

It's now the afternoon of the April 23, 2014. Remember where you were when you heard the news that, as expected Georgia's governor signed the 'guns everywhere' bill. Here is a link to an Atlanta paper. Some changes were made. Churches would have to "opt in" to allow congregants to carry guns into their so-called "House of God." Humm, what gun would Jesus choose? And not even Georgia will allow guns on college campuses, at least the students. 'Better not be late to my lecture, a-hole!' However, thank God, parents can attend Parent-Teacher conferences in elementary schools armed to the teeth ('little lady, we're here because you flunked Johnny). Graduation rates in Georgia will soar.
A provision of the law forbids entities within the state from banning guns anywhere - bars (yeah, that's smart) and, get this, government buildings that do not pony up to provide building security (have fun getting that drivers license - what you gotta get a license?).
A most distressing aspect of this situation is that it's not just Republican Governor Nathan Deal who is wrong-headed here. His Democratic opponent supported Georgia House Bill 60. Jason Carter, former President Jimmy Carter's grandson supported the bill! Add this to Texas' Wendy Davis as the second prominent Democrat running for the governor's office who does not draw a line to differentiate themselves from the National Rifle Association's (NRA) insane anti-life political agenda. The other wing of this plane is the "Christian" right. Remember what George Carlin said, "Pre-born, you're precious. Pre-school, you're fucked." That sums up the Christian Right's anti-life agenda to me.
The Democratic Party is either too timid or too wrong-headed to see the dangers and the anti-life parties are flying us into the afterlife. Well, la te da, let's just all join hands and see if there is a heaven!
Add this to the great Cliven Bundy's "range war" standoff in Nevada where I have some land. Yeah, the Bureau of Land Management run it in my interest. Me and my other taxpayers. So, this rancher who hasn't even paid his tax-supported low rate on grazing rights runs his cattle in defiance of my federal agents (on land protected for desert tortoises 'and yeah, I'm for the tortoises'), now including various potential law-enforcement agencies. So in my law-abiding nation the government gives in. Am I missing the Democratic leaders declaim and act, or is the lawful governing power of the United States of America AWOL? People are not motivated to vote for you Democrats, no matter how far to the right you go! So buck up! Obama's elections demonstrated our power; you can get the votes, too.
I am unable to find how many "Oath Keeper" county sheriffs and other "law enforcement" personnel there are in Georgia. It's safe to assume there are many. The oath keepers pledge to refuse to enforce a wide range of laws relating to gun ownership, arsenals, survivalists predicting societal breakdown, etc. They openly state that they are going to "protect the Constitution" regardless of any order given by the federal government or, indeed, their own state's leaders. Absolutely no consequences are facing them from any level of governance within the US at this time. There are oath keepers within our military and National Guards as well. No effort to weed them out is under way.
A perfect storm is brewing within my country. Imagine a large armed group approaching the state offices of Georgia. It would be legal so no one would stop them. They could then seize the government while a potential battle erupts among law enforcement. If a right wing nut is in the White House, say Jeb Bush, perhaps the federal troops would not be called in on behalf of the people. An armed mob could stage a coup in the state. The coups could spread to other states with the propaganda arms of the religious right and Amerika's corporate media. The "Supreme Court," hell, I could easily see five of the nine making some kind of monarchical decree of legitimacy.
Far fetched? Are you willing to bet your life on it? Then be sure to include Georgia in your travel plans.
I have not traveled in Mexico for over a year now. I dearly love going there, the deeper into the country I go the more I love it. But I've read too many stories of violence and I don't risk it for now. A couple of years ago while driving around Austin, Texas I began to notice things that reminded me of Mexico - large numbers of beggars, people dressed in cheap clothes, a huge police presence, among other things. Now, I see these things everywhere I travel. My country is becoming poor and angry and armed. The political party called "the left" (ha!) is weak, disorganized, and is merely a group of people who believe that they, as individuals, are indispensable so they focus on whatever it takes to get elected - including attempts to accommodate anti-ObamaCare folks, gun nuts, and religious nuts.
I almost finished by saying there is no end in sight, but there is an end in sight. The United States is a derailed freight train and you and I, the entire world are in the way of the collision.
Today, April 23, '14, I am updating this blog to include a link to a most powerful essay. I found it on truthdig. Chris Hedges is the author and "The Rhetoric of Violence" needs no further introduction from me. Please, read it here.